The small campfire lit little of the darkness—it was as though the night was too thick for the light to penetrate. Finn sat up and looked around but nothing stirred. He couldn’t see a thing except the fire. Not his friends, the wagon…or even the stars. Fear slowly crept into his mind as a chill soaked into his body regardless of his proximity to the fire.
A dark shape moved in the darkness on the other side of the fire—just outside its light. He knew what it was, he had seen it before, but his mind refused to name it.
On his hands and knees, he crawled away from the fire into the darkness. The nameless beast stalked him. His ragged breath came fast as he chanced a quick look behind. It was close now—he felt its coldness—it searched for him…hungry for his soul. If it caught him here, in this dark place, he knew he would cease to exist.
Within the darkness, a presence towered over him. He reached for his sword but it wasn’t there. This was the end! He raised a hand in a feeble attempt to ward off the imminent attack…the creature came closer—
“Master Finn,” said a distant voice. Finn opened his eyes. He still lay in his bedroll near the campfire beside the road. Everyone still slept except Louie, who crouched beside him with an anxious expression. “You cried out in your sleep,” said the knight. “Are you all right?”
“Yes…it was just a dream.”
“It will be dawn soon,” said Louie and walked back to the fire to warm his hands.
What do these dreams mean?
...the sword?
Chapter 15
It was late afternoon when Anna gazed out the coach’s window at the walled city of Parma. Its high stone walls were painted a brilliant white—a stark comparison to the green of the surrounding forest. Even from the road, she could tell that this city was many times larger than Freewater or Tremere. It was the first Krystorian city she had seen and she was impressed.
Tall spires stretched to the sky and some several times higher than the walls. Eula noticed Anna staring. “Do you like Parma, milady?”
“I prefer smaller places but it looks interesting,” said Anna. “Do you think that I will be able to walk around the city? Is it safe?”
“It is not up to me to say what you can do, milady. I am a maid.”
The city’s open gates were made of iron and their coach and their escort when through unhindered. Several of the halberd-carrying gatemen tried to get a look at the coach’s occupants prompting Anna to smile and wave. They didn’t acknowledge her but turned to their business.
That’s strange.
Their convoy travelled without hindrance through the city’s wide cobbled streets as the locals seemed to melt out of their way—which was fortunate as the knight didn’t slow their progress. They passed many buildings of various shapes and sizes. Along the main street, a large white building with stained glass windows depicting winged beings stood out. It had wide stairs that led to tall, double front doors. Stone gargoyles lined the roof’s edge and appeared to study the people as they passed. “What’s that building?” asked Anna.
“That’s the High Temple of Parma, milady.” Eula said no more.
After a short time, the knights and coach rode through ornate iron gates opened by soldiers and into a walled courtyard of a massive house. “Prince Anthon’s palace, milady,” Eula said.
Anthon’s residence was half the size of the High Temple but it was still an impressive building. They stopped in front of the main doors which were twice the height of a man. Tall, thick, white stone columns flanked the doors. Before the coach had come to a stop, a footman had the coach’s door open and a wooden stool in place ready for its occupants to exit. The footman stood at attention holding the door open.
Anna gazed out at the building and the manicured gardens. She hesitated before stepping into the sunlight and onto the gravel driveway. What have I gotten myself into? I am not bred for this life...
A grey-haired butler moved from the building and stopped in front of Anna. He indicated the palace’s open front door. “This way, milady.”
Something struck Anna as odd. No one made eye contact or even looked at her for that matter. The servants looked straight ahead or at the ground. Even a gardener, clipping a hedge, had not stopped or looked up from his task. Strange.
“Milady,” said the butler patiently.
Anna followed the butler up the stairs and through the front doors. Inside the palace, a middle-aged woman, who looked like a stern-faced school teacher, stood waiting for Anna. “This way, milady,” said the woman and walked toward a long sweeping staircase without waiting to see if she followed. Anna glanced around and was relieved that Eula was standing close by. She smiled at the young girl but Eula’s eyes were lowered as she mutely stared at the white tiles. A feeling of sudden loneliness ascended Anna and she followed the woman up the stairs.
The staircase led up to the thick-carpeted second story. They passed many closed doors before the woman stopped in front of one and turned the handle, pushing it open. “Your room, milady.” She stepped back and indicated Anna should go inside.
Anna stopped in the doorway and turned to the woman. “I’m here to see Prince Anthon.”
“I know, milady.”
“Where is he?”
“I don’t know, milady.” She indicated Anna should enter the room again. “He will call for you when he’s ready.”
Anna hesitated again. “What’s your name?”
For a second, the woman locked eyes with Anna before she resumed her downward stare. “Mrs. Milano, milady.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Milano. Come on, Eula.”
“Sorry, milady, the girl has other duties.”
“Oh.” Anna was disappointed and now felt a little more apprehensive. She was hoping for at least one friendly face. Mrs. Milano closed the door softly behind her.
Anna surveyed the large and well-appointed room. It contained a couch, several sets of draws and a large four-poster bed. Opposite where she entered, a glass door opened onto a small balcony that overlooked the rear of the palace and well-manicured gardens. The air was fresh and crisp and she breathed deeply, trying to calm herself. Why am I being treated like this? Am I here to witness Anthon’s award ceremony…?
Anna re-entered the room and walked to the entrance door and slowly turned the handle. She peeked out—there was no one in the corridor. Why am I being quiet? She pulled open the door and moved back toward the stairs. The whole building was silent and ominous. Without slowing, she moved down the stairs before stopping half way. Below, the butler was giving instructions to a young boy. It ended with the boy receiving a brisk tap on the back of his head. “Off with you,” said the butler and the boy moved off quickly and out of sight. The butler walked off to the left and also vanished from view.
The entrance area was now empty. Now’s my chance for a look around. She moved down the stairs and across the wide tiled entrance. No one was around but she could hear voices from a nearby room and one of the voices sounded like Prince Anthon. Pressing her ear against the door, she listened. It was the prince.
Anna straightened her hair and smoothed out her dress before pushing open the door. A step into the room and she stopped suddenly—her smile fading. There were three men in the room, two lounged on a long couch and the third man, with his back to the room, looked out a window into the garden beyond.
Prince Anthon stood and smiled. “Anna, what a pleasure to see you again. I hope your trip was comfortable?”
“Y-yes, Prince Anthon,” she stuttered.
“Please, just Anthon.”
Anna could not take her eyes off the other man seated on the couch.
“Sorry,” said the prince, indicating the seated man. “Where are my manners? This is Sir Wolfgang of the king’s secret service.”
Wolfgang stood quickly and grabbed Anna’s hand, kissing it before she could react. “I believe we have already met. Have we not?”
“What…”
“And this is Lord Morgan Tollis,
my uncle and the king’s cousin. And in the king’s absence, he will represent the throne at tomorrow’s ceremony.”
The man at the window turned and Anna sucked in her breath, taking an involuntary step back. “Well, my dear Anna, I told you I had plans for you.”
The master!
Anna’s heart thumped in her chest. She was incapable of speech. This was the monster called the master. The person that she and Finn had escaped only weeks prior and now she was within his grasp again.
“You—master—”
“Anthon, my boy,” said the master, smiling. “I think she needs to sit down.”
Prince Anthon guided Anna to the couch and tensely, she sat down. From a decanter on a table, Wolfgang poured her a glass of wine and put it in her trembling hands. “Drink this, it’ll make you feel better.”
Anna stared at the red liquid and dared not look at the men around her. This can’t be happening! her mind screamed. Anthon gently pushed the glass to her lips and she sipped the strong tasting liquid.
“That’s better,” Anthon said kindly.
“Nephew, haven’t you got an errand to run? Wolfie and I would consider it an honour to entertain your beautiful guest. We don’t get many visitors from Tarmia and I would like to catch up on the latest news.”
“Of course, Uncle,” Anthon turned to Anna. “You’re in good hands, Anna. I can’t wait for you to meet my cousin, Princess Maria, I think you will have a lot in common her. Until tomorrow, goodbye, fair lady.” The prince bowed and left the room, closing the door behind him.
Anna was in shock and it took her a few moments to realise the master was talking. “…more than twenty years ago, peaceful Krystoria was invaded by the mighty Naromian kingdom. They crushed our armies on our southern plains like bugs.” He sat beside Anna and held her hand. She pulled back from his cold grip and he continued. “I have convinced my stupid cousin, King Ferdinand, that we are under threat again from Naromia and that they have allied with your country, Tarmia. Of course, we need to raise an army for our defence. And so he has granted me permission to build an army…the fool is so trusting.”
The master stood and walked to the window again. It was getting dark outside and the garden was full of shadows. “Would you trust me with an army, Wolfie, my old friend?”
“No, your lordship.” Wolfgang grinned.
“You’re a smart man.”
“What about Prince Anthon?” asked Anna. She prayed that he was not involved in this insanity. “He fought your zombies in the north.”
“Yes, he did. But he didn’t see me. All he saw were zombies and a few orcs. You see, my dear, he doesn’t know I am a necromaster.”
“I will tell him.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t do that if I were you. Besides, the boy loves his uncle and he will love the plans I have for him.” The master moved back to Anna. “Curious? No? I’ll tell you anyway. In days gone, people with the blood of the First Born were the only people capable of magic. Real magic. They became kings and queens and ruled over the common people. Much of the world’s royalty today are descendants of these people. Like you. But the kings and queens today do not have pure blood like yours. I wonder how your bloodline remained so pure…over a millennia the First Born have bred with the common people, diluting their blood so much that it’s no longer magical.
“By my calculations, my darling nephew is the closest person to having pure First Born blood in Krystoria. So the pair of you will marry and breed a new generation of the First Born. And I will harness all of your and your kin’s blood and rule this kingdom. I’ll start by using your blood to summon an army of zombies!” There was a mad glint in his eyes as he spoke.
“You’re crazy!”
“All the great men in history were called mad in their own time. But I will go down as the greatest king this world has ever known! I do this for my love of my people and I will make Krystoria great again!”
Chapter 16
“Do you think this is a good idea?” asked Kliem, sitting up front in the wagon with Finn. “Renato said that foreigners will be arrested.”
“We haven’t done anything wrong. And I got nothing to hide.”
In the fading afternoon light, the pair could just make out Parma’s northern gates. The light glinted off weapons carried by the gate guards and Finn wondered what lay head. A feeling of dread suddenly crept over him. He had a desire to find Anna and go back home before anything else bad happened. He touched the black sword’s hilt and it was cool and reassuring under his hand.
A stocky guard carrying a halberd stepped in front of the wagon and signalled them to stop. Kliem complied. “Is there a problem?” asked the gnome.
“No…” The guard couldn’t take his eyes off Finn. “You got anything to declare?”
“No, just goods for the market—”
“You there! Eldon, step down off the wagon,” ordered the guard. “Slowly, if you please.”
Fin remained motionless.
“You hear me, boy? Off the wagon now!” The guard levelled his weapon at Finn and a few guards moved to their sergeant’s side. Finn gripped his sword and started to draw it.
“Stand down!” The voice was strong and full of command. Renato had climbed out of the wagon and stood leaning on Louie. He looked weak but held his head proud. The knight’s sudden appearance caused the gate guards to hesitate. “Do you know who I am?” asked Renato.
“Yes, sir,” muttered the sergeant. “But we have been ordered to arrest all eldons entering the city.”
“Your new orders are to let us pass,” replied Renato.
“I can’t do that, sir. This order has come from the top. We’ve got to take him in.”
“Who gave you that order?”
“The king’s cousin, Lord Tollis.”
“The master!” said Finn, standing.
Renato waved Finn to sit, which he did slowly. “They’ll go back the way they came so technically they’ll not be entering the city. What do you say?”
“If you insist, sir.”
“I do.” Renato indicated to Kliem that they should turn around. The gnome flicked his reins and turned his wagon on the wide road, leaving Renato and Louie behind. They headed back north for some time before a deep voice from the back broke the silence. “What’s the plan?”
“No plan,” replied Finn. “All I know is that Anna is in that city and so is that crazy master. I must enter the city undetected and get her out...”
“If she was my woman, I would storm the city and kill everyone in my way,” said Karok.
“That explains why your race is in decline,” said Kliem. The dwarf grunted something inaudible.
“The walls are too high to climb,” said Finn. “There must be another way in.”
“I’m not crawling through a sewer,” said the dwarf.
“I’m with the dwarf on that one,” agreed Kliem.
Just before sunset, a broad-shouldered dwarf stopped in front Parma’s northern gates. People wisely moved around the armoured warrior as no one wanted to provoke a dwarf’s anger. Dwarves are not known for their sense of humour. The dwarf stood in the middle of the road and stared to the north.
The gate guards paid the dwarf little attention until he unslung his large bladed axe from his back—causing them to quickly scramble for their weapons. The youngest guard ran into the gate house nearby to fetch the sergeant.
From the north, Kliem drove his wagon toward the city gates again and Karok stood in the road. As the wagon approached, Karok grabbed the horse’s reins and pulled it up. The gnome flew into an outrage and shouted for assistance. By this time the sergeant appeared, wiping his dinner off his tunic, and assessed the situation.
“What’s going on here?” demanded the sergeant. The other guards gathered around their leader and prepared for the worst.
“This gnome owes me money!” said Karok grimly. The sergeant sucked in his breath. Several passers-by put their heads down and hurried on their
way. If money was involved, this could only end in bloodshed.
“Relax, master dwarf,” said the sergeant. “I’m sure there has been a misunderstanding.” Karok shot him an angry look and the man went pale and backed up a few steps, raising his empty hands.
“Are you on this gnome’s side?” the dwarf growled.
“No, no—I meant—”
“Who is this hairy upstart?!” exclaimed Kliem, trying hard not to smile and give the game away. “I am a taxpayer unlike this vagabond dwarf.” He pointed at Karok. “Remove him, Sergeant.”
Karok shifted the grip on his axe and everyone moved further back. Even the horse wanted to back up but the dwarf held the reins firmly.
“Now, gentlemen…what appears to be the problem?” asked the sergeant.
“This little cave rat cheated me out of three silver coins last night,” said Karok.
“Bah! I have never seen you before, you blind half-witted dwarf!”
“Now, now,” said the sergeant. “As the king’s representative, I deem that you, gnome, owe the master dwarf the three silver he is owed. Pay him.”
“The injustice! I know my rights. I have never seen this dwarf before as I am only arriving here now!”
“Now you mention it,” Karok scratched his beard. “You look shorter than the gnome that owes me money. Sorry, I’m mistaken.” And with that, Karok let go of the reins and proceeded to walk up the road, leaving the guards bewildered in his wake.
“Am I free to go?” asked Kliem.
“Yes, get out of my sight.” The sergeant waved the wagon on and the gnome flicked the reins as he moved into the city. “What just happened?”
“I don’t know. But I felt sure that we were going to die,” said a guard.
“Close the gates now before that dwarf comes back. I don’t want any more trouble tonight.”
With his green cloak and hood hiding his grey skin and pointed ears, Finn used his friends’ distraction and slipped unseen through the gates and into the city. Without pausing, he moved some distance before he looked at his surroundings. He had moved off the main street and was in a narrow lane.
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